Board suggestions please - transitioning from an 8ft softtop

[alwayslookingforhelp]

I'm 50 years old, 138 lbs and have been surfing on an 8ft softop since July 2019. Since then I've been surfing all year, thru the winter here in NY, NJ. I'm a good paddler, no problem with my pop up and I can catch most of the waves I go for. I find it challenging to make turns although I can trim down the line although most of the time the waves are pretty short. I think I'm ready for another board. Some people have recommended an egg but I'm open to other shapes. I emailed with a local shaper who makes an egg but the tail is a pointy pintail. That makes me wonder if that's the right board even with these dims at 7'6" x 21.5 x 2.75. What I'm looking to accomplish is to have fun out there and be able to link turns together. Drop in and ride the face of the wave and then do a nice bottom turn up to the lip and just have fun.

I've looked into this myself but it can get overwhelming. It's hard for me to know what would work and what won't. I know there will be a transition and I'm cool with that. I know I'm going to in some ways start over.

Any specific names of boards w/dims would really get me stoked! Thank you to anyone who replies.

Hoping if they close beaches here they keep open the ocean for surfers.

[waikikikichan]

Sponge board with their boxy rails, give a false sense of float and stability. The flex absorbs some of the impacts and bumps on the wave that normally would buck you off a hard board.

My recommendation is not to go shorter until you can do turns on a hard 8'0" mini-tanker / mini-mal. If you want fun, versus stress and frustration, don't go shorter. Increase your basic skills first.

But don't just take my word for it, try borrow, for a few waves, your buddy's 7'6" fun board and see how it goes.

[dtc]

As waikikichan says an 8ft softboard isnt like surfing an 8ft hardboard; its more like a 9ft or 9'6 - more volume, thicker rails etc than the equivalent length hardboard. As such, when looking at your next board, dont think you are 'dropping' 6 inches; its a bigger change. And going narrower also has a greater impact you might think

There are plenty of eggs/funboards/mini mals in the 7'6 - 8ft range. You can get cheap no name ones, boards from Torq (eg modfun) or NSP (cheaper end) or CI waterhog (more expensive end) and plenty of others, plus lots of local makers. No need to get too stressed about them, find one with a nice solid outline, nothing too fancy, right length and width.

You are a lightweight so thickness shouldn't be too much of an issue; you are after stability and ease of surfing more than volume. I would aim for 22 wide (or at least 21.5 wide) and, as suggested, 8ft or close to. Certainly stay 7'6 or over

If you are uncertain about the custom board, its a custom board - your shaper can (should be able to) change it. If it can't be changed, its not really a custom board, its just an off the shelf board from a small manufacturer. A pointy pintail probably isnt ideal, I personally suggest a round or squash tail. Maybe ask about a 7'8 x 22 1/4 x 2.75 round tail?

[alwayslookingforhelp]

That is really solid feedback. I appreciate you both taking the time.

[alwayslookingforhelp]

Sponge board with their boxy rails, give a false sense of float and stability. The flex absorbs some of the impacts and bumps on the wave that normally would buck you off a hard board.

My recommendation is not to go shorter until you can do turns on a hard 8'0" mini-tanker / mini-mal. If you want fun, versus stress and frustration, don't go shorter. Increase your basic skills first.

But don't just take my word for it, try borrow, for a few waves, your buddy's 7'6" fun board and see how it goes.

I found a 7'10" mini-mal. You recommended not to go shorter than 8'. Below is the difference in dimns. Should I keep looking for an 8' or will the 7'10" work?
7’10 X 21 3/4 X 2 7/8 53.8L
8’0 X 22 X 2 7/8 58.1L

[dtc]

My opinion - 2 inches isnt worth worrying about. More important that its the right outline, funboard shape, low rocker etc.

It it a channel island waterhog? If so, thats a good choice. Just go for it. If its a struggle to surf then thats your fault, not the boards fault!

[alwayslookingforhelp]

Hey. thanks DTC.

It is a channel island water hog. I found a surf shop i can do curbside pick up but I have to buy it first online.
They have a 7'6 and 7'10. I'd prefer to look and hold each one before I make the plunge. This is a big deal to me.

I hope to have this board for a long time. Still have this thought in my head that I can make the transition on the 7'6" and will be happier that I did come 6 months from now.

[dtc]

I hope to have this board for a long time. Still have this thought in my head that I can make the transition on the 7'6" and will be happier that I did come 6 months from now.

The issue with transitioning down boards is that you need to have a higher level of skills to surf a smaller board, more fitness, more speed etc. Just to catch waves. So for most people there is a gap between current skill level and the level needed to surf the new shorter board.

If that gap is too big (ie you go down board sizes too fast), you may end up in the position that you need a certain level of skill to just catch waves, but you dont have that skill level. If you catch 0/10 waves on your new board, or 1/10, you can't improve because you arent catching enough waves to improve; and if you can't improve you will be stuck catching 1/10 waves for a long time.

If you go down sizes more slowly, you should be in a position where perhaps your skills aren't quite good enough initially, but good enough that you can catch some waves and stand up and surf. So if you can catch 6/10 waves at the start, that allows you to advance to 7/10 and then 8/10 and that can occur relatively quickly (will still take a few months) etc. Then once you start catching the majority of waves, then you are in a position to begin improving skills (turns, cutbacks etc etc) - even when you can catch 9/10 waves, that doesnt mean you have picked up all the skills, you have just picked up the basics.

The judgement call is figuring out the a board size that might be challenging (4/10 or 5/10 wave catching level) but not so challenging that you end up with a prolonged slow learning curve and get frustrated. A longer board reduces that risk - and just because its longer doesnt mean you wont be able to improve your surfing skills. In fact, its easier to improve your skills because you are catching more waves.

There will be a difference between 7'10 and 7'6, and both will be different to your 8' softboard. The 7'6 will have a longer learning curve- perhaps it initially will be a 4/10 wave board whereas the 7'10 might be a 6/10 board (just guessing here - you will have to make that assessment based on your knowledge of your skills). So it will take longer with the shorter board to start regularly catching waves; thus it will take longer to start improving your skills beyond just catching waves.

However, if you are surfing regularly and are prepared to undergo a period of semi frustration (or a slightly higher level of frustration for a longer period) then go for the 7'6. Even if you start with catching 4/10 waves, that's still a few waves per session; enough to understand what you did right or did wrong and improve. If this is the board you are going to keep for the next few years and you understand the potential issues, and its the board you want, then go for it. I'm your age (almost!) and I know its not going to be easier to learn to surf a short board in 5 years time.

as waikikichan says, you can always (if available) borrow or rent a 7'6 and see what happens. Or buy second hand - I am a big fan of buying second hand, surfing it for a bit, then selling it on and buying the next board. Can be a bit of a pain doing the buying and selling, and I guess at the moment second hand is a bit difficult. But keep it in mind.

anyway - if you want the 7'6, then go for it. It wont be a terrible choice, perhaps not 'the best' choice, but its still a board you can work with and enjoy from day 1. I know how it feels to not be surfing the board you want to be surfing - can be frustrating.

[alwayslookingforhelp]

Hey. What do you think of this board? Someone recommended it to me. Curious about your view of the tail...a single wing into a pintail. At 8'2" the Bandito is 1/4 inch wider and 1/4 inch thicker. 8'2"x23-1/4"x3-1/4" than the Waterhog.

https://www.matadorsurfboards.com/bandito-1.html

[dtc]

Interesting board - not sure what to make of it, although I dont think it will surf all that much differently. Its got that little 'hip' part just above the tail, but had the board started narrowing just a bit earlier it probably would have ended up with the same tail size and it would have looked perfectly 'normal'. I suspect it will surf very much like most other longboards; and it will be an easier transition than the shorter waterhog

Maybe waikikichan or Jaffa have some thoughts? They have surfed a lot more different boards than most of us

[waikikikichan]

Agreed with what DTC said. My advice is get a board and go surf. You are going to learn a lot from your first hard board. AND............ it won't be your last, just the first of many. So don't stress too much ( unless someone is trying to unload a lemon on you )

My concern is the 8 x 8 x 8 glassing. Damn, that's 16 oz. cloth on the deck.